My Town

El Cerrito Journal community briefs

Contra Costa Times

Posted:
12/20/2012 09:51:59 AM PST

Updated:
12/20/2012 09:52:00 AM PST

Shooting suspect standoff resolved

A suspect was taken into custody following an hours-long police standoff Wednesday in Albany, after reportedly shooting at two people with a BB gun and then pacing around his apartment with a rifle, authorities said.

About 12:45 a.m., a 911 caller told police that a man was threatening to shoot two people on the street and then shot at them with what appeared to be a BB gun on the corner of Brighton and Kains avenues, police spokeswoman Karina Tindol said. Neither pedestrian was injured in the incident.

The suspect, later identified as Kent Stinson, 62, also told the pedestrians he had a "carbine," Tindol said.

Stinson repeatedly ignored officers' requests to come out of his apartment and was seen by police walking around inside the residence with a rifle in his hand, according to Tindol.

Officers from Berkeley, El Cerrito and Kensington assisted, helping Albany police cordon off the scene, Tindol said. Residents of the apartment building were evacuated to the Albany Community Center as a precaution and part of Brighton Avenue was closed to traffic.

About 8 a.m., Albany police's Tactical Response Team entered the apartment and ended the standoff peacefully, Tindol said. Officers discovered a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition inside the apartment, along with the BB gun. Police believe the victims' car while the suspect shooting. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

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Police seeking suspect in ice pick attack

Police are looking for a woman who assaulted a man with an ice pick in El Cerrito on Saturday.

Police said the suspect, described only as a 40-year-old Richmond resident, was arguing with a man outside a business on the 11200 block of San Pablo Avenue around 11 p.m. At one point during the altercation, the woman used an ice pick to swing to try and stab the man, though police said she only grazed his neck.

El Cerrito Police Chief Sylvia Moir, 47, was appointed this week to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The appointment to the uncompensated position will require Senate confirmation.

Moir, the city's police chief since 2010, was previously a police lieutenant at the Sacramento Police Department from 1990 to 2008 and a police commander in the Menlo Park Police Department from 2008 to 2010.

She is a member of the California Police Chiefs Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police and International Association of Women Police.

Magic, comedy in show at Central Stage

Bay Area magician Brian Scott will present Access to Oddities, a family show with a "carnivallike atmosphere filled with magic, comedy and pure fun" in performances on Dec. 29 and 30 at the Central Stage at 5221 Central Ave., A-1, by Interstate 80 in Richmond.

Both days there will be shows at 2, 4 and 7 p.m.

The venue is a converted industrial space that provides an intimate setting that brings the audience into the show. Seating is limited.

Shaw describes Access to Oddities as "a theatrical experience where the fourth wall is broken, pushed down and pushed aside -- allowing you to instantly become a part of a show where items will vanish, objects will float, and reality in general will be twisted."

Albany has revised the work schedule for its sewer main and lateral replacement project in the 900 block of Key Route Boulevard.

Contractor Pacific Trenchless is expected to start work on Jan. 2 and be done by Jan. 11.

For more details call Greg Jacobs at 510-918-2322 or Scott Jacobs at 510-417-0037.

Free holiday week puppet show at library

The free family holiday puppet show "One Wacky Winter!" will be presented at 2 p.m. Dec. 27 in the Edith Stone Room at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave.

The production from Children's Fairyland in Oakland tells the story of the Grunch, who lives on winter mountain and is the long lost brother of the Grinch. "This Grunch is taking toys and repairing them in his cave on the mountain and plotting to take over the Toymaker's workshop and stop Winter celebrations forever," says The Puppet Company of its good-natured spoof of the Dr. Seuss classic.